INTERVIEW
Four and a half months later, the round ball will finally regain its rights. The final of the Coupe de France, Friday evening between PSG and Saint-Étienne, is the first official competitive match since March. For Jean-Pierre Papin, as for all football fans, this meeting will necessarily have a special flavor.
"It's the final of the Coupe de France, an important moment in the season. And then it's the return of football in our country, it's something that will be important for us", rejoices the legendary striker , Ballon d'Or in 1991 with OM.
>> LIVE - The final PSG - Saint-Étienne is to be followed live on Europe1 and Europe1.fr, kick off at 9:10 p.m.
A final in front of 5,000 spectators, "it's a bit sad"
This final will take place in an unprecedented context due to the coronavirus, with a capacity limited to 5,000 spectators at the Stade de France, which can usually accommodate more than… 80,000! "It's a little sad, of course," laments "JPP". "But given the circumstances, I would say that it is something which is important, which one must face. It is already good that one can start again the football", relativizes "JPP", winner of the Coupe de France in 1989 with OM.
"Now you just have to take the time to settle things, even if it will take longer than expected. The important thing today is that the teams can replay and compete again as they should. ", positive the former striker of the France team.
Discover the podcast "Associate n ° 1, the birth of a great club in Paris"
Did you know that Paris Saint-Germain almost didn't see the light of day? Its hatching, 50 years ago, is even a miracle. The club owes its survival only to the steel will of passionate men. Discover this story in "Partner n ° 1, the birth of a great club in Paris", the new podcast of Europe 1 Studio, and go back in time to the origins of PSG.
>>> Find the episodes on our Europe 1.fr site and on Apple podcasts, SoundCloud or your usual listening platforms.
A poster "a little unbalanced"
On the ground side, Jean-Pierre Papin concedes that the poster "seems a little unbalanced" on paper, "especially when you see PSG in its current form." "It's simply impressive", he judges, before warning, like any good footballer: "But it's a football match, anything can happen".
"JPP" is not wrong: last year, Rennes had defied all forecasts by overthrowing the Parisian ogre on penalties, in the final of the same Coupe de France. Like what, "anything can happen"!